WORK on Lisburn's first city centre hotel well underway and is
on schedule to open its doors in 2009.

The hotel will be a Premier Inn, managed by
Whitbread Plc, one of the largest hoteliers in the UK. Mark
Adams, Whitbread's Acquisition Manager for Ireland, said work on
the Hillsborough Road hotel was progressing well and was on
course to open in the summer next year.

The builder went on site at the end of June
and completed site enabling work," explained Mr Adams. "Work on
the hotel block is well underway and the metal frame for the
restaurant is also up.

"Things are on track and we are hoping to be
open in summer 2009 and if we can open sooner than that, we
will."

The Premier Inn Hotel, the first city centre
hotel for Lisburn, will bring around 60 jobs to the city and
represents an investment of £5million.

The hotel, one of several Premier Inns
opening across the Province in the next year, will include 60
bedrooms and a 200 cover family orientated 'Table Table'
restaurant.

In addition to the Lisburn hotel, Whitbread
recently opened a Premier Inn in Coleraine, have acquired a site
for a new hotel in Newtownards and are planning to open their
new Belfast city centre hotel next month.

"We are delighted to be coming to Lisburn,"
continued Mr Adams. "This is something different for the city.
This investment augurs well for Lisburn and we are looking
forward to opening."

The foreman at the site said he expected construction to be
finished around Christmas when it would be 'handed over' for
final fitting.